VFL 2021 Rd 3: Carlton vs the Drug Cheats

[pew2]

trade setters and kennedy not good enough for seniors ,get ball kick ball types ,we need to add pace in our midfield and i can see O'Brien on a hbf we his deadly left foot ,bit like salem from melb type but he needs to drink some concrete first

[LP]

Reminds me of a slightly smaller version of Dean Galea the ex Port/Williamstown mid sized goal kicker...

Actually, I think Crocker is equal or got Galea covered for size, it's hard to tell these days because they are all bigger than just a decade ago!

I know some sites listed Galea at 188cm, but I'd say on the 180cm side of that! However, Galea was a footballer's footballer.

[ElwoodBlues1]

Galea

Actually, I think Crocker is equal or got Galea covered for size, it's hard to tell these days because they are all bigger than just a decade ago!

I know some sites listed Galea at 188cm, but I'd say on the 180cm side of that! However, Galea was a footballer's footballer.

Galea was around 6'2 and had more meat on him than Crocker and would have been 90kg plus IMO, not as quick as Crocker but strong in the body and like Crocker could kick straight.
Crocker does have an advantage in that he can play up the ground as a winger/mid and does a good imitation of a poor mans Dusty with the fend off.
For half a season at peanut rookie money what is there to lose? We probably have more pressing issues with no backup Key Defenders or Key Forwards but you think back to the likes of Tory Dickson@the Dogs and he made a nice little career out of making good position, kicking straight and has a premiership medal for his efforts.
The other thing is that he has to play each week as well....no point picking him up and plonking him back in the twos, you play him down forward and work a game plan to get the best out of him. He wont fire every week but he might win 2-3 games for you which might be enough to get a finals berth.
No one will beat Marlon Pickett in terms of mid season pickups but Crocker is a low risk gamble who might pay off with some smart coaching which is probably more of an issue than Crockers ability.

[sydneybluesfan]

I can't see that a medium / small forward is our priority right now - we have Martin, Murphy, Jack, Honey, Durdin, Ramsay [and Fisher] all on the list who didn't play on the weekend. That's 7 players, plus Matt Kennedy.

We have very limited backup for KP defenders and Ruck. TDK is on the way back which potentially gives you Levi as the only realistic backup for both roles. If Jones or Weiters got injured we would probably play Parkes as a key defender which is not ideal at this stage of his development. One the numbers and the risks I would be looking for a tall asap.

[kruddler]

I can't see that a medium / small forward is our priority right now - we have Martin, Murphy, Jack, Honey, Durdin, Ramsay [and Fisher] all on the list who didn't play on the weekend. That's 7 players, plus Matt Kennedy.

We have very limited backup for KP defenders and Ruck. TDK is on the way back which potentially gives you Levi as the only realistic backup for both roles. If Jones or Weiters got injured we would probably play Parkes as a key defender which is not ideal at this stage of his development. One the numbers and the risks I would be looking for a tall asap.

Its not really about priority right now.

Its about getting quality cheaply that may pay off.

Whatever KP or ruck we'd likely get in the midseason draft could take years to come on. Very few are capable of playing AFL level to any decent standard.....so what is the point of rookieing someone who can't play unless they are showing they are a cut above VFL level.

Crocker could perform at AFL level now, but IMO he'd get drafted next year off the back of his efforts this year. So why not get him cheap now. He could play now too.

If there was an 18/19yo tall kid who was lighting up the 2's, yes, they would fill a need in the long term, wouldn't give us squat now though. Could we get better at the end of season draft? Via trade? I think so.

[ElwoodBlues1]

Its not really about priority right now.

Its about getting quality cheaply that may pay off.

Whatever KP or ruck we'd likely get in the midseason draft could take years to come on. Very few are capable of playing AFL level to any decent standard.....so what is the point of rookieing someone who can't play unless they are showing they are a cut above VFL level.

Crocker could perform at AFL level now, but IMO he'd get drafted next year off the back of his efforts this year. So why not get him cheap now. He could play now too.

If there was an 18/19yo tall kid who was lighting up the 2's, yes, they would fill a need in the long term, wouldn't give us squat now though. Could we get better at the end of season draft? Via trade? I think so.

Jack Hayes from Woodville West Torrens is a 194cm KP player who I would look at, can play a bit of 2nd ruck too and has been in excellent form in the SANFL. You have to have a back up plan if Crocker is picked up by another club , after the success of Marlon Pickett clubs wont treat the mid season rookie draft as a joke any more and see it as a serious way to get talent in and Crocker is going to stand out like Dogs nuts to struggling clubs.

[kruddler]

Jack Hayes from Woodville West Torrens is a 194cm KP player who I would look at, can play a bit of 2nd ruck too and has been in excellent form in the SANFL. You have to have a back up plan if Crocker is picked up by another club , after the success of Marlon Pickett clubs wont treat the mid season rookie draft as a joke any more and see it as a serious way to get talent in and Crocker is going to stand out like Dogs nuts to struggling clubs.

194cm is not a backup ruck at AFL level.
I remember in the superdraft where we took Gibbs, some were saying Sellar was a potential pick 1 option. He went at 17 from memory....and never made it because he was essentially an undersized ruck. Positionless in the AFL.

Be wary of 'talls' playing well in the SANFL.

[ElwoodBlues1]

194cm is not a backup ruck at AFL level.
I remember in the superdraft where we took Gibbs, some were saying Sellar was a potential pick 1 option. He went at 17 from memory....and never made it because he was essentially an undersized ruck. Positionless in the AFL.

Be wary of 'talls' playing well in the SANFL.

Hayes is a KP player by trade who falls into that 194cm Oscar Allen (WC) type option as a ruckman.....just relief when you need it, I'm not trying to sell him as a genuine 2nd string ruck....but someone who can play CHB, FF, CHB and do a job where needed.